Netherlands Travel

Amsterdam is one of my favorite cities in Europe, let alone the world, and I have definitely stayed in a wide range of accommodations during my visits. After trying several types of accommodations in many parts of the city, I have settled on the Hotel Vondel for its location, cleanliness and character. The Hotel Vondel is very near the Vondelpark which not only means the Van Gogh and Rijksmuseum are a short walk away, it also means that a green urban escape is close at hand. Plus, I can easily walk into the heart of Amsterdam for food and culture. But the selling point for me really is the wonderful interior of the hotel

I started only staying at the Hotel Vondel two years ago mainly because I like the look and feel of the place. The hotel is located along Vondelstraat, a lovely street lined with similar-looking brick townhouses. Inside, however, the Hotel Vondel transforms into a hip, chic boutique hotel. The lobby, restaurant and rooms are all done in a stylish black and white theme that relies on cool fabrics, simple black-framed prints and modern fixtures to remind you that the hotel is very up-to-date European. I enjoy the feel of this hip urban-ness after a day of wandering Amsterdam’s old streets. Most of the rooms are cozy (i.e. small) but include comfortable beds and nice amenities like wall-mounted flatscreen TVs. The breakfast is plentiful and a cocktail in the garden (weather permitting) is a great reason to stop your sightseeing early and come back in the late afternoon.

A short 15 minute walk from the central station in the heart of Amsterdam (or a short tram ride on either number 4 or 9, getting off at Rembrandtspein), the Eden Rembrandt Square Hotel offers a cool, modern location from which visitors can enjoy this wonderful city. The Eden Rembrandt is just off of Rembrandt Square, so you have your pick of clubs, cafes, bars and restaurants only a few minutes walk away without being to close to the hustle and bustle of the areas around the station and the Red Light District.

The rooms at the Eden Rembrandt Square Hotel are very modern with comfortable beds, flat screen TVs (mounted on the wall), a cozy chair and stool for reading, and nice bathrooms (warming mirrors, good water pressure, central bath taps). The hotel is relatively new and the amenities and décor (lots of grey and muted colors) reflect this. Try to get a room facing the back of the hotel (the higher up the better) as it was much quieter than rooms along the front of the hotel. The rooms have mini-bars that automatically charge you even if you just move items around to fit in your own drinks so plan appropriately.

The Eden Rembrandt Square Hotel’s restaurant, FLO Amsterdam serves up delicious French cuisine, with the house specialty being heaping seafood platters. FLO Amsterdam is a big cut above your typical hotel restaurant and should be on the “must-do” list for anyone staying at the Eden Rembrandt Square Hotel.

Kilimanjaro Restaurant in Amsterdam is not technically only Ethiopian. This wonderful local favorite serves a delicious menu of pan-African cuisine perfect for most any palate. Vegetarians have a bounty of choices; meat eaters can indulge in tasty morsels like Sengalese lamb curry; the adventurous can wash down their crocodile steaks with banana beer.

The seating in winter is quite cozy (i.e. small) with only around 25 seats (on the ground). This means that it is a great place to while away the rainy, cold days…if you can get a table. In the summer, the cool outdoor patio makes for a perfect place to savor the tastes of Africa. The décor is simple and manages to mix elements of Africa into the simple design without looking Congo-cabana cheesy.
Other menu highlights include spicy Ethiopian chicken and antelope goulash. The food is, of course, best eaten with your hands. Ask the wait staff for recommendations. If you are open to trying new, and seemingly strange, items, they will set you up with a memorable culinary experience. Expect to spend around € 20 on an unforgettable meal.

Kilimanjaro Restaurant is located on the east side of Amsterdam still within the inner city on Rapenburgerplein. The Waterloopein Station is your nearest transit location. It is not too far from the Maritime Museum.

Visitors to Amsterdam in the spring should take some time for a short, stunningly vibrantly colorful daytrip just outside of the cultural capital of the Netherlands. Given the small size of the country, no destination in the Netherlands is too far away and this is especially true for the flowers. The Netherlands are famous for tulips but spring blooms also run rampant with hyacinths and daffodils.

Two key destinations just outside of Amsterdam that are a must-see for even the most casual flower viewer are the gigantic flower market in Aalsmeer and the bulb fields west of the town of Leiden. Aalsmeer’s flower auction is the biggest in Europe and is housed in a mind-bogglingly enormous complex (imagine 100+ soccer pitches put together and you’ll start to get an idea). The auction starts early in the morning so it is most enjoyable before 9:00 a.m. From Aalsmeer, continue southwest until you hit the quaint college town of Leiden. West of Leiden, you will find endless expanses of blooming fields to overwhelm your vision and olfactory senses. Just north of Leiden you can find, Keukenhof, the largest flower garden in the world only open for a brief window in the spring during the bloom.

Aalsmeer and Leiden are both accessible from the Central Station in Amsterdam by bus and train. Car trips in the region are a wonderful way to enjoy the sights and the smells of the region. For my money, however, nothing beats a two day bicycle trip with an overnight stay in Leiden.

The Holly Hotel Carlton in central Amsterdam delivers on their promise of a great location. The hotel is right next to the famous Floating Flower Market and, as such, is surrounded by street after street of great shopping, eating and relaxing. We enjoyed the hustle and bustle going on around the Holly Hotel Carlton so much that we left our room windows open except for when we slept. Our room, at the front of the hotel, was quiet enough to sleep in undisturbed with the windows closed. Our room was spotless when we arrived and appeared well-cleaned every evening when we returned. The staff at the front desk was extremely friendly and eager to make sure our stay in Amsterdam was lovely. They succeeded.

From the Holly Hotel Carlton, we were able to easily walk to the Heineken Brewery (and easily walk back!), the Rijksmuseum, the Van Gogh Museum, Dam Square, and, of course, the lovely flower market. We dined one night in the Holly Hotel Carlton’s Italian restaurant, Caruso, and had a very pleasant meal. Granted, it wasn’t real Italian cuisine (we’d just come from Milan) but it was definitely well above average for an Italian restaurant outside of Italy. All in all, the Holly Hotel Carlton makes for a wonderful stay.